Socket wrench

ABSTRACT

A wrench having a rotatable work engaging member provided with gear teeth meshing with a worm that is attached to a shaft, said shaft having a handle at one end thereof. The gear and worm are housed in a housing that is formed of sheet metal by bending the sheet metal around the shaft and closing the open sides of the sheet metal by welding, brazing or the like. The shaft is provided with a bearing surface engaging one end of the housing. The other end of the shaft is provided with a bearing groove for engaging a pin attached to the housing to prevent lengthwise motion of the shaft and worm.

United States Patent Oliver D. Olinger 5130 Roeder Road, San Jose, Calif. 951 l l [21] Appl. No. 878,092

[22] Filed Nov. 19, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [72] Inventor [54] SOCKET WRENCH 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

Primary ExaminerJames L. Jones, Jr. Attorney-Allen and Chromy ABSTRACT: A wrench having a rotatable work engaging member provided with gear teeth meshing with a worm that is attached to a shaft, said shaft having a handle at one end thereof. The gear and worm are housed in a housing that is formed of sheet metal by bending the sheet metal around the shaft and closing the open sides of the sheet metal by welding, brazing or the like. The shaft is provided with a bearing surface engaging one end of the housing. The other end of the shaft is provided with a bearing groove for engaging a pin attached to the housing to prevent lengthwise motion of the shaft and worm.

PATENTED B5628 I97! INVENTOR. OLIVER D. OLINGER BY ATTOR EYS SOCKET WRENCH DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to wrenches in general. More particularly this invention relates to a wrench which may be used for tightening bolts or the like located in confined places.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved wrench which may be used for tightening bolts or the like by rotating the shaft of the wrench.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wrench having a rotatable work engaging gear and a worm for rotating said gear, the gear and worm being held in meshing relation by a sheet metal housing which is formed around the shaft and worm so that the housing forms a long bearing for the shaft and worm to keep the worm meshing with the gear.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved wrench having a rotatable gear which is provided with a hole therethrough for receiving work gripping sockets which are adapted to engage different size bolts, said gear being driven by a worm which meshes therewith and which is attached to a long shaft, the free end of which forms a handle, the wrench also being provided with a housing which is formed by bending sheet metal around the shaft to enclose the gear and worm.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing, in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wrench of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the working parts of this wrench before they are enclosed in the sheet metal housing;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the housing provided for the working parts of this wrench; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the wrench of this invention with the handle and a part of the housing broken away.

Referring to the drawing in detail reference numeral designates a round shaft made of steel or similar material. The shaft 10 is provided with a worm II near one end thereof which is adapted to mesh with and drive the gear wheel 12. The gear wheel 12 is provided with a hole 13 which is preferably square and which passes through the center of the gear wheel so that suitable socket wrenches or the like (not shown) of different sizes may be inserted into the square hole to tighten or loosen bolts of different sizes. It is, of course, obvious that if bolts of the same size as the square hole are to be tightened or loosened that this may be accomplished without providing a socket therefor, since such a bolt may be gripped in the gear itself. The sides of the gear 12 are provided with shoulders such as the shoulder 14 shown in FIGS. I and 2, and these shoulders are of the same diameter as the holes 15 provided in the housing 16 so that these holes from bearing surfaces for the gear 12.

The housing 16 is formed out of a piece of sheet metal cut into a blank of the shape shown in FIG. 3. This piece of sheet metal is bent around the shaft 10 and worm 11 so that the holes 15 are aligned and in position to receive the shoulders 14 of gear 12. The shaft 10 is also provided with a groove 17 which is positioned near the worm II and which is adapted to receive the pin 18. The ends of the pin I8 are of reduced size such that they will fit into the holes 19 of the sheet metal housing 16. Pin I8 functions as a bearing in the groove 17 of the shaft to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. An additional bearing is provided by the end 20 of the handle 21 which is adapted to engage the end 16a of the sheet metal housing.

After the sheet metal housing is bent around the shaft 10 and encloses the gear 12 and pin 18, the marginal parts 16a of the housing are bent towards each other and joined by welding, brazing or the like. The sides 16c of the housing are caused to abut and these are also welded together to form a wrench housing of rugged construction.

The handle 2] which is integral with the shaft [0 may he provided with a knurled surface with facilitates gripping the handle and rotating the shaft l0 and worm II. In addition the end of the handle IS provided with a square portion 21a w ich is adapted to be received in the crank 22 so that the handle and shaft may be more readily turned. Also, this wrench may be of the ratchet type with the gear 12 made in two parts. In this case the central part is in the form of a ratchet and the outer part which carries the gear teeth 12, is concentric with the central ratchet portion and is provided with a suitable pawl which is spring-pressed against the ratchet.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention it is apparent that the invention is capable of variation and modification therefrom.

What I claim is:

I. In a socket wrench the combination of a shaft having a handle portion adjacent one end thereof and having a worm gear formed in the portion thereof adjacent the other end, a circular gear meshing with said worm gear, said circular gear having a work-engaging socket substantially in the center thereof so that the work engaged by said socket is rotated when said shaft handle is turned, a sheet metal housing for said gears, said housing being formed by bending said sheet metal and enclosing said gears therein and by bending said sheet metal around the midportion of said shaft to form a tubular housing portion around said shaft, the abutting side edges of the housing being welded together to enclose said gears and said shaft, said handle portion projecting from said tubular housing portion, the opposing surfaces of said tubular housing portion and said handle forming a thrust bearing when said shaft is turned in one direction, one side of the portion of said housing enclosing said shaft gradually expanding and curving into the portion of the housing enclosing said gears, a pin supported by said housing, said other end portion of said shaft having a groove receiving said pin, said pin preventing axial movement of said shaft when said shaft handle and said work engaged by said socket are turned.

a: s i 

1. In a socket wrench the combination of a shaft having a handle portion adjacent one end thereof and having a worm gear formed in the portion thereof adjacent the other end, a circular gear meshing with said worm gear, said circular gear having a workengaging socket substantially in the center thereof so that the work engaged by said socket is rotated when said shaft handle is turned, a sheet metal housing for said gears, said housing being formed by bending said sheet metal and enclosing said gears therein and by bending said sheet metal around the midportion of said shaft to form a tubular housing portion around said shaft, the abutting side edges of the housing being welded together to enclose said gears and said shaft, said handle portion projecting from said tubular housing portion, the opposing surfaces of said tubular housing portion and said handle forming a thrust bearing when said shaft is turned in one direction, one side of the portion of said housing enclosing said shaft gradually expanding and curving into the portion of the housing enclosing said gears, a pin supported by said housing, said other end portion of said shaft having a groove receiving said pin, said pin preventing axial movement of said shaft when said shaft handle and said work engaged by said socket are turned. 